The administration of US President Joe Biden banned the export of a number of consumer goods to Russia, and another 71 companies were blacklisted by the US Department of Commerce at the same time that the G7 announced new sanctions against Moscow.

The bans apply to devices whose components can be used to support the Russian military, including items such as clothes dryers, snow blowers, milking machines, etc. Washington believes that these items can be used for other purposes, to support the Russian military vehicle.

“You can no longer ship contact lenses or sunglasses,” attorney Kevin Wolf, a former Commerce Department official, said after learning about the new rules. “It would be easier for them to describe the goods that are allowed to be exported to Russia,” he added.

Another 69 Russian companies, one from Armenia and one from Kyrgyzstan, were blacklisted. Among them are companies involved in the repair of aircraft, the manufacture of components for car factories, shipyards, etc.

Doug Jacobson, an attorney who specializes in commercial law, said some of the banned items are controversial. “Now a license is required to export goods such as hearing aids, ankle orthoses, artificial joints.”

Matthew Axelrod, a senior official at the US Department of Commerce, stressed that the US priority is to establish control over items that contribute to the development of Russian weapons systems. When a company is found to be circumventing the embargo, “we will use every possible option to shut it down,” he added in a statement.

Source: APE-MPE, Reuters.